Sleeping Schedule

My LO is 20 months and he refuses to follow a schedule!! he wakes up at any time from 7-10 his nap is anywhere from 11-6!! and he goes to sleep anywhere from 9-12!! its so ridiculous and I feel like I cant carry a schedule no matter how much I try to enforce it, it wont work!! What are some tips to implement a sleeping schedule?

My LO is 20 months and he refuses to follow a schedule!! he wakes up at any time from 7-10 his nap is anywhere from 11-6!! and he goes to sleep anywhere from 9-12!! its so ridiculous and I feel like I cant carry a schedule no matter how much I try to enforce it, it wont work!! What are some tips to implement a sleeping schedule?

It may be challenging but when he gets up at 7 or 8 am put him in his room around noon so he will either play or sleep. If you want him on one nap this is the schedule for my dd. She gets up around 7-730 am and goes down for her nap around noon and sleeps until around 2. She goes to bed between 7-8. It will take time for him to get used to this and plenty of patience on your part. If he knows how to open up doors get those child proof handles that go over the handle so he can't grip it. The big part is noticing when he gets tired and starts rubbing his eyes. Hth. It will take some time to get used to this schedule. You will find a time and a way that works for you.

It may be challenging but when he gets up at 7 or 8 am put him in his room around noon so he will either play or sleep. If you want him on one nap this is the schedule for my dd. She gets up around 7-730 am and goes down for her nap around noon and sleeps until around 2. She goes to bed between 7-8. It will take time for him to get used to this and plenty of patience on your part. If he knows how to open up doors get those child proof handles that go over the handle so he can't grip it. The big part is noticing when he gets tired and starts rubbing his eyes. Hth. It will take some time to get used to this schedule. You will find a time and a way that works for you.

I think you need to look at your overall schedule, not just a sleep schedule. If you want him to sleep at the same times everyday, you need him to also eat and play at the same times each day. Here is the schedule I use in my home daycare (and with my daughter before and after daycare and on weekends)

7:15 wake up

7:45 Breakfast

8:00-9:00 Free play

9-9:15 Diaper change / potty time

9:15-9:30 Group activity / circle time

9:30 Snack

9:45 Art / Craft activity

10am (ish) Outside play

11:15 Diapers / Potty Time

11:30 TV / Quiet play (while I make lunch)

12pm Lunch

12:45-3 Naptime

3pm Diapers / Potty time

3:15 Art / craft activity

3:30 Snack

3:45 Outdoor play

6pm Dinner

7:15 Story time

7:30 pm Bath

8pm bed

Sorry it is so long. Hope it helps :)

I think you need to look at your overall schedule, not just a sleep schedule. If you want him to sleep at the same times everyday, you need him to also eat and play at the same times each day. Here is the schedule I use in my home daycare (and with my daughter before and after daycare and on weekends)

Here's what I'd do... tonight, regardless of what time he goes to sleep, if he's not up by 7:30 or whatever time you want him to be up, wake him up then. Give him breakfast and then keep him busy so that he doesn't just fall asleep on his own, and then put him down for an hour-long nap right after lunch, or for two hours at the very most. Don't just let him wake up on his own. Then when you want him to go to bed, put him in his room and turn off the lights. If he cries, he cries. As long as you check on him every 15-20 minutes to make sure he hasn't done something to hurt himself, there's no reason to worry. When I feel like I can't get one of my kids to do something that they really need to do, I ask myself, "Who's the parent?" It helps me because it's easy to feel guilty when you feel like you're being forceful or negligent by making the kid stay in his room and cry. I'm an extremely sensitive person, so hearing my kids cry breaks my heart. But sometimes you have to be firm with them, even if it might hurt their feelings a bit.

Here's what I'd do... tonight, regardless of what time he goes to sleep, if he's not up by 7:30 or whatever time you want him to be up, wake him up then. Give him breakfast and then keep him busy so that he doesn't just fall asleep on his own, and then put him down for an hour-long nap right after lunch, or for two hours at the very most. Don't just let him wake up on his own. Then when you want him to go to bed, put him in his room and turn off the lights. If he cries, he cries. As long as you check on him every 15-20 minutes to make sure he hasn't done something to hurt himself, there's no reason to worry. When I feel like I can't get one of my kids to do something that they really need to do, I ask myself, "Who's the parent?" It helps me because it's easy to feel guilty when you feel like you're being forceful or negligent by making the kid stay in his room and cry. I'm an extremely sensitive person, so hearing my kids cry breaks my heart. But sometimes you have to be firm with them, even if it might hurt their feelings a bit.

I definitely agree that you should be waking him up around the same time each morning. The later he wakes up the later nap time and bedtime end up happening. I have to make sure that my 2yr old doesn't sleep past 3 pm. If she does then she won't even be tired @ 8 when she should be passed out for the night. Try to make the events leading up to sleep calming and quiet. If you stimulate his brain too much right before bed, it will take him a while to wind down. I like to do bath time, stories, prayers, cuddles & then lights out. If she gets up I will go into her room, place her back in her bed, cover her up then leave... making no eye contact or any attention to her or her actions. The reason for this is that she wants attention, if I keep giving it to her she will keep doing what ever causes me to go in there. (Got this from the SuperNanny)

I definitely agree that you should be waking him up around the same time each morning. The later he wakes up the later nap time and bedtime end up happening. I have to make sure that my 2yr old doesn't sleep past 3 pm. If she does then she won't even be tired @ 8 when she should be passed out for the night. Try to make the events leading up to sleep calming and quiet. If you stimulate his brain too much right before bed, it will take him a while to wind down. I like to do bath time, stories, prayers, cuddles & then lights out. If she gets up I will go into her room, place her back in her bed, cover her up then leave... making no eye contact or any attention to her or her actions. The reason for this is that she wants attention, if I keep giving it to her she will keep doing what ever causes me to go in there. (Got this from the SuperNanny)

Great! Good luck :) It might help to set an alarm on your cell phone to remind you of certain times during the day for the first few weeks. Toddlers thrive on routine and structure. It will also make for a much easier transition to school when the time comes :)

Great! Good luck :) It might help to set an alarm on your cell phone to remind you of certain times during the day for the first few weeks. Toddlers thrive on routine and structure. It will also make for a much easier transition to school when the time comes :)

Start ur bedtime routine 30 min b4 YOU want him n bed & WAKE HIM UP when YOU want him to wake. Don't make it "nap" time, male it "quiet" time (2 hrs). Put him n his bed @ "quiet" time. If he sleeps, GREAT, but if he doesn't, dot try to force it, but don't let him nap later than after the 2 hr "quiet time" is over. My ds schedule from 15M-3Y10M (now) is 7am wake up, 10:30am-12 quiet time & 8pm bed time (his quiet time used to b 10:30-1 until he hit 3Y). It can take a few days (up to a week) for it to get easier for him, but as long as u stay consistent with the wake up time & the bed time, "quiet" time will nearly always result n a nap

Start ur bedtime routine 30 min b4 YOU want him n bed & WAKE HIM UP when YOU want him to wake. Don't make it "nap" time, male it "quiet" time (2 hrs). Put him n his bed @ "quiet" time. If he sleeps, GREAT, but if he doesn't, dot try to force it, but don't let him nap later than after the 2 hr "quiet time" is over. My ds schedule from 15M-3Y10M (now) is 7am wake up, 10:30am-12 quiet time & 8pm bed time (his quiet time used to b 10:30-1 until he hit 3Y). It can take a few days (up to a week) for it to get easier for him, but as long as u stay consistent with the wake up time & the bed time, "quiet" time will nearly always result n a nap

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